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Vacuum sealer bags: we know they’re useful for preserving our food, our smaller items, and even for cooking. That’s not where it ends, however: there are bags specifically designed to store your clothes, bed sheets, linens and covers. Aside from protecting them from the elements for months on end, how would you like to save a ton of space? Worry not, here we’ll review the best vacuum sealer bags for clothes!
See also: Keep the floors clean with the best vacuum cleaners for hardwood floors, reviewed!
Looking for the Best Vacuum Sealer bags for Clothes?
Mothballs are a popular choice when putting clothes away, due to their ability to keep greedy bugs at bay. Such effectiveness, however, is not without cost: the pesticide they are made of, which turns from solid to vapor as time goes by, can be dangerous if inhaled, causing headaches, dizziness and even vomiting.
Breathing it in is not the only risk: these chemicals can be absorbed through the skin, for example, by wearing clothes that were mothballed without properly washing them first. There’s also the ever present danger of possible ingestion: small children or animals may mistake the mothball for a treat and ingest it, with potentially devastating consequences.
Packing your clothes into a vacuum-sealed bag will keep them safe, not only from bugs, but also from dust and accidental spills… and without noxious fumes! Oxygen absorbers can provide an extra line of defense against moths; should you opt for this additional measure, make sure the absorbers are 500cc or bigger.
Same Luggage, More Packing
Do you love hiking? Pack much more in your usual bag, and waterproof your clothes while you’re at it! This doesn’t apply just to the outdoors: you can have reserve clothes in your car, or include them in your emergency preparedness bag.
And what about regular travel? No more paying for an extra suitcase at the airport! Even if you’d rather not seal away your everyday garments for fear of getting them wrinkled, you might still want to take with you a sealer bag or two, for your dirty clothes on the return trip. More space for souvenirs!
Pro tip: whenever possible, put the empty bag into the suitcase before filling it with clothes and pumping the air out. This way, the full bag is sure to fit in!
Helpful Tips for Finding the Best Vacuum Sealer Bags for Clothes
As you set aside the garments and bedclothes you wish to seal away, make sure they are all clean and completely dry: even the faintest presence of moisture puts your goods at risk of mildew, which would eventually ruin them. You can always pop in a silica packet as an added precaution, especially if your storage area is known for its humid air.
It is also important to choose the right size of bag depending on what you’re putting into it: overstuffing is a common cause of a bag failing to stay sealed.
Special Treatment
There are certain items, and materials, that should be put into a vacuum sealed bag for a shorter time, or not at all. For example, natural fibers, such as wool or fur, need to breathe in order to maintain their shape. Therefore, they should be kept sealed for only 6 months or less: any longer, and they might sustain damage. If you absolutely need to keep them in storage for a long time, then you might want to aerate them once in a while so they will not suffer.
Lagging jackets, sleeping bags, duvets and other such fluffy items should not be vacuum sealed: doing so will keep them squashed for a long period of time, degrading their ability to retain air and thus maintain warm temperature. Leather items should not be stored in this way either: the extreme pressure will cause wrinkles and creases, ruining their smooth appearance.
Some Great Finds
What follows is a selection of packages from different brands, containing a variety of bag sizes. Remember to keep in mind what it is you wish to store away, so the size you pick will be the best for your needs.
AirBaker Travel Vacuum Storage Bags
This pack comes with 4 sizes of bags, 3 per size for a total of 12. Sizes are as follows: 39.3” x 31.5”; 31.5” x 23.6”; 27.5” x 19.6”; and 23.6” x 15.7”. Plastic is BPA-free. Body is 5 layers of co-extrusion film, and they can even be used as medical bags. SGS RoHS certified, FDA approved.
Zipper is double seal, with asymmetric design for additional strength. Each valve features its own cap to impact the gasket, which is upgraded with anti-reflux groove. Hand pump included.
Pros:
- Does not tear easily.
- Certified, can double up as medical bag.
Cons:
- Seams are reportedly prone to giving in.
- Pump can be difficult to use.
Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags, Medium, 5-Pack
28” x 20” in dimensions, this is a fairly practical size, fitting the volume equivalent of 8 to 10 sweaters; this makes them good for towels, pillows and the like, although they are too small for storing bedclothes. Free hand pump is included, but you can use a vacuum cleaner as well. Seal is double-zip and the valve is triple-seal, which helps keep them airtight. Other sizes you can purchase separately are: 24” x 16”; 32” x 24”; and 40” x 30”.
If one of these ever fails to hold its seal, you can contact the manufacturer and get a replacement for free.
Pros:
- Guaranteed for a lifetime.
Cons:
- Package includes only one size; must buy other sizes separately.
Vacwel Vacuum Storage Bags, XXXL + Jumbo Size
You get 10 bags total, 5 measuring 40” x 32” and 5 more measuring 47” x 35”. Mattress toppers, large cushions, anything particularly bulky is almost certain to fit in these bags. Special nylon cross-threads run through the bag’s matrix, to make them more sturdy and help make the vacuum both stronger and more durable.
Pump is not included, but a vacuum cleaner with standard nozzle is all you need. Furthermore, as the valve is one way, air can be pushed out without using machinery. If you decide you to do it this way, you might want to set the stuffed bag on a soft surface, such as a mat, before applying pressure, so as to not risk rupture. It’s also worth noting that this method is not as effective as a pump.
Pros:
- Extra strong.
- Bigger than the maximum size offered by most other manufacturers.
- One-way valve allows for the air to be pushed out manually.
Cons:
- Package does not include pump.
Ziploc Flat Space Bags, 6-Pack
This package doesn’t include a pump, but it does come with a bag specifically intended for traveling, designed to easily fit into most carry-ons and which can be drained of air just by rolling it. Aside from the travel bag, this package includes 2 medium flats (10 sweaters or sweatshirts), 2 large flats (20 sweaters or sweatshirts), and 1 XL flat (1 queen comforter or 2 pillows).
Although these bags are intended for use with a vacuum cleaner, it has been reported that more than a few brands’ standard nozzles will not be a good fit.
Pros:
- Travel-friendly bag included.
Cons:
- Will not work with some common brands of vacuum cleaner.
Your Stored Goods’ Best Friend: Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags
There is the slight inconvenience of having to buy every size separately, but such drawback is easily remedied by the company’s size chart: with it, you can tell exactly what size you need for the sort of garments and bedclothes you intend to put away.
While they can easily work with any vacuum cleaner on standard nozzle, the hand pump is of appropriate size for traveling: that way, you can minimize your clothes’ volume no matter where you are… even outdoors! And remember: your kids’ soft toys, and even your seasonal ornaments, also stand to benefit from these bags. This is what makes it the best vacuum sealer bags for clothes!
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